Raven scratched at his dark, greying stubble with a contemplating frown on his face. The old Lord sat on a rock with a crude lean-to over him that shielded him from the down pour of rain. He had a blanket draped over his shoulders that did little to keep the chill out and their fire was not lighting to the frustration of his eldest son.
The flint splashed into the mud and Jason stood up, pushing his soaked hair away from his face. His green eyes burned with fury as he spat out several curses that probably had Joanna turning in her grave. Navi sighed from where she sat on Lincoln's knee and gave the man a deadpan stare. "Now, can I try?"
"Murgafurglefragga." Was the odd rolling growl that came from Link's oldest brother which no one dared to try and translate in fear that Nayru, Farore, or Din would strike them down. Jason dropped next to his father and scowled.
Raven rose a brow and smiled, humorously, as he patted his son's back. "Go ahead, Navi."
The Fae's body glowed almost too brightly out in the dark of the night's storm. Lightening flashed as she floated about the fire pit but Navi was unfazed. Her white eyes closed, her short blue hair flailed in the wind, and her hands sparked a flame... the wood was soaked by that point but still a fire burned across the branches collected. Navi turned with a cocky smirk and gave Jason a smug look which he made another rude grunt at.
"Thank you, Navi." A appreciative noc as the girl returned to her partner. "Now, that we have warmth, let us set up the first watch." Raven spoke, eyes roaming over to where Lincoln sat in silence at his own little tent. The family had managed to erect their shelters before the rain set in so the ground was mostly dry but it would still be a miserable night. Raven had hoped his sons would have made some jokes about their situations... or at least his littlest boy would have smiled at his brother's fumblings in the rain.
Jason nodded with a slight improvement in his mood. "I'll take first watch."
"Good. I will take the next."
Link's cobalt eyes peered, blindly, out into the night and his thoughts raged across his young face. The ten year old wrapped his blanket tighter around his body and flopped over on another he had folded up to use as a pillow. "Wake me up for my turn."
Raven nodded but did not speak. There were no words to say.
After a while, Navi moved away from the fire to perch herself on Raven's shoulder where she sat with a huff. "Maybe we should just let him sleep the whole night..." She dropped her chin into her palm and shrugged off the cold chill that shivered down her spine. "Wish I knew a spell to make him happy."
"As do I, Little One." Raven held out his hand which the tiny girl stepped into and placed her next to his head as he laid down wrapped in his blanket. "I am to old for this, Jason." The Lord grunted, throwing a pebble away from his back. "Why are there no Inns out in this blasted Field?" The sixty year old was a sturdy man at his age and rarely complained about it though at that moment he wished he was 20 years younger.
Jason smirked, handing his father an extra cover. "Because that is a perfect target for robbers."
"Bah, hire guards."
A chuckle and the forty-five year old allowed a smile to cross his face. "Maybe I can talk Darion into being an Innkeep rather than a Healer?"
"Ahhh, but we're getting too old for that. Someone will need to run the Tower." Raven smiled despite the storm providing background noise and lifted a part of his make-shift pillow to cover the sleeping Fae next to his head.
"I am only forty-five." Jason scowled. "You are the old one."
Raven laughed and felt better for it. Jason had been his greatest companion since the man was born when Raven was but fifteen and they always could cheer the other up. "Old, am I? It sounds like I should retire then!" The fire popped and cracked as the two men grinned, stupidly, at one another. "Ahhh, but I must sleep now... Wake me up in a few hours, Jay Bird."
Jason smiled at the old nickname that only Joanna and his Father ever used and watched those grey-blue eyes close. "Good night, Father."
It was not until early the next morning before even the sun rose that Lincoln was woken up by his Father's gentle shake. "Come, my boy, let us rise with the dawn." Raven's boot kicked out the last traces of their fire and the sight had Link's stomache churning.
It was like his life being extinguished.
Navi landed in front of his face. Her own girly one gave him a soft smile as she spoke. "Pre-Wedding jitters?" He could hear the uncertainty in her voice as she tired to make light of their situation and Link had to fight a glare.
He forced out a pitiful laugh. "You could say that." In silence, the ten year old scooped up his belongings and took Epona's reins from Jason with a yawn. Lincoln clambered into his saddle and took in a deep breath. "On your command, Father."
Raven glanced over at Jason who returned the same guilt ridden face before spurring his horse into a hard gallop... that expression, however, was broken in seconds.
"Link!" Navi hands took hold of the boy's bangs as Epona lept to life and charged past the two elder Hudsons. "What are you doing?!"
The boy jerked back on the reins, frantically, and screamed back with a shocked look. "Nothing! She's g-" The pony reared up and the Lordling's heart dropped into the pit of his stomache as Epona attempted to throw him. "Epona! Calm down!"
"Link!" Raven's voice was at his side, grabbing at the pony's reins, but the boy was too focused on not falling from his horse to met his father's eyes. "Let go! Jason grab him!"
"No!" Lincoln growled, digging his fingers into his steed's mane and closing his eyes as the wind ripped past his face.
Epona dashed across the green fields of Hyrule with crazed speed and a frenzied neigh. Her lungs heaved beneath the ten year old who refused to release her even as his partner screamed that he was going to die if he did not and her hooves kicked up the red earth leaving a trail for Raven and Jason to follow in the shadow of the rising sun. Lincoln peeked from behind his eyelids and turned his cobalt eyes to the dawn...
The hill crested and suddenly the horse stopped in the embrace of a strong gust of wind.
Like a sea of neverending green, Hyrule Field opened up with a promise of adventure and freedom in the fiery light of morning. Trees dotted the land far below, sapphire skies kissed the emerald blades covered with drops of dew, and a constant breeze blew to stave off the heat that radiated from the life buried beneath Epona's hooves.
Link's mouth dropped open for he had only ever seen Hyrule Field from afar. He would have never believed it was so large had he not been there with the huffing of a crazed horse under him. Cobalt eyes grew wide and pointed ears twitched at the sound of singing drifting along the course of a calm wind. "What in Farore's name...?"
"Its the song that Epona likes!" Navi exclaimed, breathlessly, and ran a hand through her short, blue windswept hair.
His horse moved beneath him and Link prepared himself as Epona launched from her position. She raced down the hill fast enough for the boy to worry that her legs would collapse but he did not dare let go.
"Hold on, Navi!" He called out though he realized how silly it seemed moments later and laughed, maniacally. It was not until he was face to face with a bright, amber eyed, red headed girl that he stopped. "... Were you the one singing?"
The stranger's face turned almost the color of her hair and her eyes grew wide at the sight of him. "Oh... OH my... A-Are you..." She gasped. "My Lord! I am so sorry!" Several quick bows came after the apology and the girl stood as straight as she could while Link only stared on... making the experiencely entirely too akward for both. "I-If I had known Epona would... Would come running like that I would have never-"
"Woah!" Navi's voice cut in with a shrill cry and the Fae lept from her charge's head with a rose eyebrow. "Can we at least get your name before you start sputtering apologies?"
Link rolled off the saddle, barely managing to land on his feet, and held out a hand with an attempt at a smile though the way his stomache was churning he surmised it probably looked like a grimace. "I am Lincoln Hudson, fourth son of Raven Hudson the Lord of White Tower."
A quick survey of his location and a large wooden sign read 'Lon Lon Ranch' above a equally sized metal gate. A red roof could be spied over the rock wall that jutted oddly out of the center of Hyrule Field in a near complete circle. The sounds of horses, cuccos, and a man shouting could be heard and Lincoln quickly assumed the girl before him had snuck away from her duties to practice her voice.
He could not help but be a pleasantly surprised at the idea.
"I know who you are." Those amber eyes narrowed and added a silent 'I am not stupid' before a bright smile accented her humble, but pretty features. "My name is Malon... my Dad owns Lon Lon Ranch... you wrote to him, so, I guess you knew that."
"I did not know he had daughter." Lincoln shook his head and fought the jitters of adrenaline coursing through his body. "I heard you put up a fight about Epona leaving... is that why you sang?"
Malon's face burned. "I, uh, n-no, um... I..." The girl let out a nervous giggle which made Navi shoot Lincoln one of her signature annoyed as the rancher found her words. "My Mother... she used to sing that song all the time, my Lord-"
"Link."
"Oh... okay, uh, Link." She smiled at that. "My Mother sang that song to me and I sang it for Epona when her mom died." Malon rocked back on her heels and clapped her hands with a shrug. "I was missing them both so I just snuck out here to sing befo- Oh!"
Link rose a brow and glanced behind him to find his father and brother approaching with disapproving faces. "My Father, Lord Raven, and my brother, Lord Jason." He wrapped his hand in Epona's rein in case she suddenly decided to bolt again though he knew it would do little good to try and stop her... nothing but break his arm. The Lordling scowled at his horse. "Epona gaves us a fright with her... wildness."
"More like her love of music." Navi landed on the top of Link's head and fold her legs beneath her. "This pony has been nothing but trouble, Malon..." The Faerie pushed as much meaning into her words as she could. She wanted a different horse... one less likealy to kill her and her partner.
He understood, immeadiatly, and spoke as Raven halted with a stern glare at no one imparticular. "She has been." Link met Malon's amber eyes and she blushed an entirely different way. " Malon," Hope rose from the pools of her golden eyes and Lincoln felt regret at losing his new friend and happiness at giving the girl her pet back. "would you allow me to trade Epona out for a more suitable steed?"
"Indeed." Snorted Jason with the deep, traditional, Hudson frown.
Raven gave a nod, approvingly. "And please, my dear, make it the fastest your Ranch has to offer. I will pay for any difference, of course."
Malon sighed, scratching at her tied back long, red locks. "That's the problem, my Lord." She bit her lip and patted Epona's head, softly. "She is the fastest. That is why my Father let you have her." Jason glared. "B-But! If you don't like her than we can find another!" Malon gave a nervous smile. "I'll get my Dad." The girl dashed away leaving the scent of hay in her wake and a antsy Epona behind.
"What happened back there?" Raven crossed his arms and tugged the reins away from his youngest child.
"Apparently, the horse has an obession with the girl's song. And the girl." Navi replied with a dry expression. "A warning would have been nice."
Jason shifted his weight on his saddle and massaged the bruises developing on his legs. "She babbled about the song before we left. She said nothing about the horse."
"It does not matter, now." Raven sighed, patting the distress pony on her muzzle with a calm demeanor. "Epona will stay here until she is ready to be parted with Talon's girl... if ever. Link will get a new horse and we will be off. We are not but a few hours ride from the Castle now... we made considerable progress in an event."
Jason nodded, green eyes cast toward the horizon. "I can see the Castle from here... do you see it, Brother?"
"I'll see plenty of it soon enough." Link glowered, shooting his brother a violent glare. "I do not care too look."
"Mature until maturity smacks you in the face, I see." Jason countered, venomously. "You want to know what goes on in adult affairs, Linc-"
"Jason, leave him be." Raven cut in but was ignored.
"-oln? Then we will let you be in them." His green eyes clashed with bright blue and the forty-five year old clenched his fists. "You are fortunate to be given the life you have been given. You could have very well ended up the bastard of some-"
"Jason!" The Lord of White Tower seethed. "Quiet yourself!"
"Low Knight or abanoned by dead parents with no family! We are giving you a chance to do some great things for this land as a righteous King whether Harkinian dies or no!" Jason ignored the grey-blue murderous look from his father and added. "Now, wise up, Little Link, or else you are in for a rude awakening. The People of the court are as merciless as that Wolfos that left those nasty scars on your back and I intend to show them the might of our name. Do not do us any injustices."
"Or what?" Link growled, baring his teeth like the very creature he had fought those two years ago. "Are you going to pull your fat ass from the horse and fight me?"
"I WILL NOT TOLERATE THIS FOOLISHNESS ANYMORE!" Raven bellowed and clapped both his boys on the sides of their heads with a swiftness that surpassed his age. "Jason, you quite your tongue or else I will beat you like I have never before." His eldest cowered in defeat as the Lord turned his rage to the youngest. "Lincoln, you have shown me you can be a warrior. Show me you can be a Man."
Lincoln glared and felt little comfort even as Navi rested her cool hands on the stinging, red flesh of his cheek. "Aye, My Lord."
"Apologies, Father." Jason murmured, sulking away as Talon, an oaf of a man with a bushy beard growing on his jolly features, approached with great caution.
Raven smiled at the man with a friendliness that he learned dealing with the odd Lords and Ladies of Hyrule's court. "Talon, old friend, what kind of deal shall we make today?"